Scope and Contents note Discusses cultural differences that result in humorous reactions to foreign food. Explores possible reasons why these stories are interesting to other people. Identifies a pattern involving a culturally acceptable food that an outsider considers inedible, members of the culture getting offended at the refusal to accept food, and an outsider trying to avoid offending the members of the hosting culture. Items focus on the food experiences of Americans abroad. Created by Todd Henderson while he...

Scope and Contents note Describes the author's grandfather, Sheron Glen Christensen, as a man who is likable because of his "sense of humor, dedication to work, and extreme love for others." Includes several sketches illustrating these qualities and includes a brief biography. Includes stories divided into three categories: childhood, the Great Depression, and children and grandchildren. Contains photocopied photographs. Appendix contains interviews with Christensen conducted by various family members. Created by...

Scope and Contents note Explores her family's experience of having two daughters killed and one seriously injured in a car accident. Discusses the grief of her family members and explains that their faith as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is what helped them find peace in their loss because they believe in Jesus Christ and that families can be together eternally. Mentions lessons like "life is too short to be unkind" that family members learned from this experience. Created by Leslye...

Scope and Contents note The author describes her grandparents' experience serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Nepal. Describes three aspects of Nepalese culture: religion, social structures and gender issues, and tribal medical practices. Mentions the Nepalese practice of astrology and the belief that certain animals like snakes and cows are holy. Discusses the use of Shamans (a kind of tribal doctor) in Nepal. Describes some of the social practices in Nepal that treat women in...

Scope and Contents note Describes how the author's grandmother, Opal Bragg, used cooking as one way of serving her family and bringing them closer together. Explains that the significance of Bragg's family recipes arises from the occasion for cooking. Describes how Bragg is considerate in her cooking, often making two versions of the same dish in order to please everyone. Discusses how cooking and eating together unified the family and how everyone in the author's family felt welcomed and loved because of Opal...

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Discusses the uniting function of story sharing in families. Mentions the role of romance stories in families. Explains that humor in families depends on knowledge of characteristics and habits of family members. Created by Sarah Lavine while she was enrolled in Jill Terry Rudy's English 392 class during Winter Semester.

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Discusses the cooking of the author's mother, Vicki Fryday. Describes the hard work this woman put into perfecting her recipes. Explains that when Vicki married a man from the South, she adapted her cooking style to incorporate Southern dishes. Includes personal narratives from the informant about cooking. Also includes several recipes. Created by Jana Fryday while she was enrolled in Jill Terry Rudy's English 495 class during Winter Semester 2002.

Scope and Contents note Asserts that since love and romance is such an ever-present part of local culture, marriage proposals have become more elaborate so they don't seem commonplace. Explains that the engagement story is one of the few parts of romantic relationships that is shared with other people. Discusses the correlation between the gender of the person telling an engagement story and the kinds of details that are described. Identifies a pattern in the included narratives where males relate details of the...

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Discusses the unifying function of family traditions. Describes three categories of family traditions: food traditions, holiday traditions, and birthday traditions. Asserts that the value of a family tradition can be determined by whether the children want to continue the tradition in their own families. Created by Brittany Dean while she was enrolled in Jill Terry Rudy's English 392 class during Winter Semester 2002.

Scope and Contents note Explains McQueen's belief that political jokes are so common because they help relieve fear of losing loved ones, of war, and of other issues related to current political problems. Attributes the proliferation of these jokes to email. Discusses how the jokes people tell reveal their political sympathies. Describes three kinds of jokes included in this project: 1) American patriotic jokes, which bolster American morale and which often degrade opponents of America, 2) antiwar jokes, which make...